Archived Articles
Illinois Cultural News
(Articles appear from the newest to the oldest. To read the articles in the time line in which they were posted, scroll down to find the oldest in the tread and read upwards from oldest to newest.)
Illinois Cultural News
(Articles appear from the newest to the oldest. To read the articles in the time line in which they were posted, scroll down to find the oldest in the tread and read upwards from oldest to newest.)
Ekklesia: Turn Around Agenda for Illinois by Joyce Geiler
For more than a year, intercessors in Illinois have been praying for turnaround in Illinois. In 2015, Governor Bruce Rauner proposed a Turnaround Agenda to improve business conditions in Illinois. The Governor whittled his 44 original initiatives to a handful: a property tax freeze, reining in liability lawsuits, changing worker's compensation to save money for businesses, enacting term limits for lawmakers and a fair method for drawing officeholders' districts (political maps).
Republicans, in general, are more supportive of the Agenda, while Democrats are generally opposed. The Illinois Chamber of Commerce created a website to support the agenda. It begins with a review of the current business climate in Illinois, which reveals that Chief Executive Magazine ranked Illinois 48th among top states for business, only second from the bottom. Illinois has the seventh highest worker's compensation costs and the ninth highest unemployment insurance taxes in the country. It has one of the worst lawsuit climates in the country, ranking 46th out of the 50 states. Illinois is last in job growth among neighboring states and more than
94, 000 Illinoisans moved out of state in 2014. http://www.illinoisprosperity.org/page.asp?content=about&g=il_turnaround.
Freezing property taxes is only part of curtailing the amount of money local governments can get from real estate taxes each year. The Governor wants to give local governments more spending control particularly by allowing them to limit employee contract negotiation topics and permitting them to opt out of paying locally established prevailing wages on construction projects. Limiting negotiations would save money by barring haggling over health insurance benefits, private contracting, staffing levels, and classroom curriculum. Understandably, unions are not in agreement.
Rauner wants to end lawsuit venue shopping. Madison County is notorious among justice-system reform groups as a plaintiff's paradise where juries hand out huge awards to litigants claiming injury from asbestos or corporate negligence, even when the parties and the incident have only a tenuous connection to Illinois. Eleven states have banned forum shopping, including neighboring Missouri, and instead require lawsuits to be filed in a state where the plaintiff or defendant lives, where a business is headquartered or where an accident or injury occurred. In Illinois, like most states, a defendant who is found responsible for only a portion of an injury can be forced to pay all of the damages awarded if he or she has the deepest pockets. Such joint and several liability situations can drive up business costs, including those for insurance. Alternative arrangements, such as requiring each defendant to pay only his portion, could leave an injured victim without his full damage award entitlement. Lawsuit changes are needed.
Democrats changed the Worker's Compensation rules in 2011, and total benefit payments have decreased 19 percent since then. But insurance premiums haven't fallen correspondingly. Rauner would compensate injuries only if the major contributing cause of the injury was work-related, matching the nation's toughest standards. Democrats contend that people who are injured on the job in Illinois are likely to get a reasonably fair shake in terms of compensation while people who are injured on the job in Indiana and Missouri are more likely to 'go on welfare.'
Governor Rauner proposes limiting a Representative or Senator from holding that office or combination of those offices for more than 10 years. Fifteen other states impose term limits on state legislators. Most states impose a limit of eight to 12 years in each chamber. Redistricting, or drawing of political maps in Illinois, has served to benefit the election of the legislators, not to provide fair representation to the voters. Rauner proposes changing that system.
At the end of the Illinois General Assembly’s spring legislative session, Gov. Rauner failed to win passage of his Turnaround Agenda. Not everyone is on board with the Turnaround Agenda. The Illinois Trial Lawyer's President John Cooney published arguments against the Governor's proposals.
https://www.iltla.com/rauners-dizzying-turnaround-agenda-threatens-to-run-middle-and-lower-income-illinoisans-aground/. Crain's Business Report has published articles opposing the Turnaround proposals. https://www.iltla.com/rauners-dizzying-turnaround-agenda-threatens-to-run-middle-and-lower-income-illinoisans-aground/. The issue is not dead and key aspects of the agenda are continuing to be promoted by the governor. The question the ekklesia needs to be asking is: What do the scriptures teach about economics and business?
The Turnaround Agenda with explanations and supporting documents can be found at: https://.www.illinois.gov/gov/Documents/CompiledPacket.pdf. A copy of the more extensive list of proposed reforms can be found at http://www.iasb.com/govrel/GovernorRaunerPolicyAgenda.pdf.
For more than a year, intercessors in Illinois have been praying for turnaround in Illinois. In 2015, Governor Bruce Rauner proposed a Turnaround Agenda to improve business conditions in Illinois. The Governor whittled his 44 original initiatives to a handful: a property tax freeze, reining in liability lawsuits, changing worker's compensation to save money for businesses, enacting term limits for lawmakers and a fair method for drawing officeholders' districts (political maps).
Republicans, in general, are more supportive of the Agenda, while Democrats are generally opposed. The Illinois Chamber of Commerce created a website to support the agenda. It begins with a review of the current business climate in Illinois, which reveals that Chief Executive Magazine ranked Illinois 48th among top states for business, only second from the bottom. Illinois has the seventh highest worker's compensation costs and the ninth highest unemployment insurance taxes in the country. It has one of the worst lawsuit climates in the country, ranking 46th out of the 50 states. Illinois is last in job growth among neighboring states and more than
94, 000 Illinoisans moved out of state in 2014. http://www.illinoisprosperity.org/page.asp?content=about&g=il_turnaround.
Freezing property taxes is only part of curtailing the amount of money local governments can get from real estate taxes each year. The Governor wants to give local governments more spending control particularly by allowing them to limit employee contract negotiation topics and permitting them to opt out of paying locally established prevailing wages on construction projects. Limiting negotiations would save money by barring haggling over health insurance benefits, private contracting, staffing levels, and classroom curriculum. Understandably, unions are not in agreement.
Rauner wants to end lawsuit venue shopping. Madison County is notorious among justice-system reform groups as a plaintiff's paradise where juries hand out huge awards to litigants claiming injury from asbestos or corporate negligence, even when the parties and the incident have only a tenuous connection to Illinois. Eleven states have banned forum shopping, including neighboring Missouri, and instead require lawsuits to be filed in a state where the plaintiff or defendant lives, where a business is headquartered or where an accident or injury occurred. In Illinois, like most states, a defendant who is found responsible for only a portion of an injury can be forced to pay all of the damages awarded if he or she has the deepest pockets. Such joint and several liability situations can drive up business costs, including those for insurance. Alternative arrangements, such as requiring each defendant to pay only his portion, could leave an injured victim without his full damage award entitlement. Lawsuit changes are needed.
Democrats changed the Worker's Compensation rules in 2011, and total benefit payments have decreased 19 percent since then. But insurance premiums haven't fallen correspondingly. Rauner would compensate injuries only if the major contributing cause of the injury was work-related, matching the nation's toughest standards. Democrats contend that people who are injured on the job in Illinois are likely to get a reasonably fair shake in terms of compensation while people who are injured on the job in Indiana and Missouri are more likely to 'go on welfare.'
Governor Rauner proposes limiting a Representative or Senator from holding that office or combination of those offices for more than 10 years. Fifteen other states impose term limits on state legislators. Most states impose a limit of eight to 12 years in each chamber. Redistricting, or drawing of political maps in Illinois, has served to benefit the election of the legislators, not to provide fair representation to the voters. Rauner proposes changing that system.
At the end of the Illinois General Assembly’s spring legislative session, Gov. Rauner failed to win passage of his Turnaround Agenda. Not everyone is on board with the Turnaround Agenda. The Illinois Trial Lawyer's President John Cooney published arguments against the Governor's proposals.
https://www.iltla.com/rauners-dizzying-turnaround-agenda-threatens-to-run-middle-and-lower-income-illinoisans-aground/. Crain's Business Report has published articles opposing the Turnaround proposals. https://www.iltla.com/rauners-dizzying-turnaround-agenda-threatens-to-run-middle-and-lower-income-illinoisans-aground/. The issue is not dead and key aspects of the agenda are continuing to be promoted by the governor. The question the ekklesia needs to be asking is: What do the scriptures teach about economics and business?
The Turnaround Agenda with explanations and supporting documents can be found at: https://.www.illinois.gov/gov/Documents/CompiledPacket.pdf. A copy of the more extensive list of proposed reforms can be found at http://www.iasb.com/govrel/GovernorRaunerPolicyAgenda.pdf.
Christian Entertainment in Illinois by Joyce Geiler
When considering the arts and entertainment industry thoughts naturally go to Hollywood, California or Nashville, Tennessee. But Illinois? Not necessarily and especially not if the focus is Christian entertainment! If one is researching Christian entertainment in Illinois, the task is daunting. However, there are, indeed, Christian entertainment industries in Illinois.
There are four Christian TV stations listed for Illinois, reaching from north to south. Romanian Christian Television and My Christian TV are both broadcasting from the Chicago area. The Christian Television Network is in Decatur and Tri-State Christian Television broadcasts from Marion in Southern Illinois.
Twenty-five Christian radio stations are listed by http://www.christart.com/radio/illinois/ and include Christian music stations as well as Christian talk stations. These broadcasts cover much of Illinois.
In the film industry, companies can be found that actually produce Christian films and commercials. There are also companies that are owned and managed by Christians and companies that provide resource lists of Christian film production companies. Following are some of their stories that illustrate how they witness to their Christianity in the arts and entertainment mountain:
Edward T McDougal of Glencoe, IL has written and produced a series of hour long, award winning, Christian dramas. In addition to producing his own 35mm films, McDougal's company has provided support for independent productions and commercials. McDougal initiated and has helped to fund a series of non-profit films aimed at helping urban youth cope with the temptations of using and selling drugs. The series includes the films "Through the Cracks" and "Crackdown", which won two Emmy awards and is currently distributed to African-American churches, schools, and institutions through Urban Ministries in Chicago. McDougal has appeared as a panelist on various talk shows such as Geraldo, The Sally Jesse Raphael Show, PM Magazine, and The 700 Club where he has discussed filmmaking and family values. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_T._McDougal
Another company is Burns Family Studios, whose website says "We are committed to producing quality, Christ-centered action adventure films because we believe stories can touch hearts, and Christ can change lives. Our goal is to reach as many individuals, families, and churches as we can with a message that will quicken the spirit, fire the imagination, and inspire the family." http://burnsfamilystudios.com/
Ark Productions of Chicago states: "We believe there is an audience for films that are faith driven but don’t sacrifice the diverse and complex stories that collide with real life. We believe there is an audience for films that can entertain and challenge the entire family. We believe there is an audience for films that will inspire laughter, encourage thought, and motivate change in themselves and the world around them. With over two decades of industry experience and personal conviction, Ark Productions is committed to creating films that boast high quality faith-based values that won’t sacrifice the story of everyday people doing extraordinary things." http://arkproductionschicago.com/
Chad Stembridge of Stembridge Mill describes himself as "a grateful husband, storyteller, and filmmaker. Life lived in Jesus Christ and His Spirit is important to me. So is organic living, and good art. My lovely wife is Samantha; she’s my best friend and helper. Together we’re making a family to stand for truth and God’s glory. I’m thankful for redemption and forgiveness. Since 2007 I’ve been producing all kinds of media, including several documentaries and short films (four of which have screened at film festivals). The longer I remain a creator, the more I come to appreciate the power of a story well-told." The words 'redemption and forgiveness' in his story are a link to tell a story that leads the reader to a place of decision for Christ. http://stembridgemill.com/#start
Wanderlust Productions was founded by Darren Wilson in 2006 when he began work on what would become his first feature length film, “Finger of God”. The company currently concentrates on creating feature films that are both creatively exciting and spiritually engaging. Darren says, "As an artist, I have always been more interested in questions than in answers. Answers never inspired me, nor did they move me. Questions denote a sense of mystery; that something out there needs to be discovered–whether it’s inside of me or some revelation from God–a question leaves room for Him to provide an answer, and answers from God, I have found, are a tad more profound than those from men. So I guess you could say I have Wanderlust of the spirit. I reside firmly in my Father’s arms, but my Spirit is restless. I am discontent with religion as an institution. I am much more interested in the power and the grandeur and the mystery of God than I am in what he does or does not allow me to do. And I have absolutely no interest in focusing on the faults of others. I’ve got my own issues to worry about. There is good and there is evil. Light and darkness. Grace and shame. Holy and obscene. And the two are constantly at war in our hearts, vying for supremacy. And I think if we actually allowed ourselves to admit it, that we all have a kind of spiritual wanderlust. It has either been crushed, or betrayed, or stopped up, or flattened, or is held back by fear, but it’s there; a general sliver of discontent in our spirit, urging us that there must be, there has to be more. It is a sliver put there by the Spirit." https://www.wpfilm.com/
Lastly, Christian Film News is a nonprofit ministry of Films for Christ, founded in 1959. Films for Christ is produces and distributes film. It is an independent, non-denominational Christian ministry, a 501(3)(c) organization that lists Christian film/video/production companies. More information can be obtained at http://christianfilmnews.com/valuable-links/
When considering the arts and entertainment industry thoughts naturally go to Hollywood, California or Nashville, Tennessee. But Illinois? Not necessarily and especially not if the focus is Christian entertainment! If one is researching Christian entertainment in Illinois, the task is daunting. However, there are, indeed, Christian entertainment industries in Illinois.
There are four Christian TV stations listed for Illinois, reaching from north to south. Romanian Christian Television and My Christian TV are both broadcasting from the Chicago area. The Christian Television Network is in Decatur and Tri-State Christian Television broadcasts from Marion in Southern Illinois.
Twenty-five Christian radio stations are listed by http://www.christart.com/radio/illinois/ and include Christian music stations as well as Christian talk stations. These broadcasts cover much of Illinois.
In the film industry, companies can be found that actually produce Christian films and commercials. There are also companies that are owned and managed by Christians and companies that provide resource lists of Christian film production companies. Following are some of their stories that illustrate how they witness to their Christianity in the arts and entertainment mountain:
Edward T McDougal of Glencoe, IL has written and produced a series of hour long, award winning, Christian dramas. In addition to producing his own 35mm films, McDougal's company has provided support for independent productions and commercials. McDougal initiated and has helped to fund a series of non-profit films aimed at helping urban youth cope with the temptations of using and selling drugs. The series includes the films "Through the Cracks" and "Crackdown", which won two Emmy awards and is currently distributed to African-American churches, schools, and institutions through Urban Ministries in Chicago. McDougal has appeared as a panelist on various talk shows such as Geraldo, The Sally Jesse Raphael Show, PM Magazine, and The 700 Club where he has discussed filmmaking and family values. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_T._McDougal
Another company is Burns Family Studios, whose website says "We are committed to producing quality, Christ-centered action adventure films because we believe stories can touch hearts, and Christ can change lives. Our goal is to reach as many individuals, families, and churches as we can with a message that will quicken the spirit, fire the imagination, and inspire the family." http://burnsfamilystudios.com/
Ark Productions of Chicago states: "We believe there is an audience for films that are faith driven but don’t sacrifice the diverse and complex stories that collide with real life. We believe there is an audience for films that can entertain and challenge the entire family. We believe there is an audience for films that will inspire laughter, encourage thought, and motivate change in themselves and the world around them. With over two decades of industry experience and personal conviction, Ark Productions is committed to creating films that boast high quality faith-based values that won’t sacrifice the story of everyday people doing extraordinary things." http://arkproductionschicago.com/
Chad Stembridge of Stembridge Mill describes himself as "a grateful husband, storyteller, and filmmaker. Life lived in Jesus Christ and His Spirit is important to me. So is organic living, and good art. My lovely wife is Samantha; she’s my best friend and helper. Together we’re making a family to stand for truth and God’s glory. I’m thankful for redemption and forgiveness. Since 2007 I’ve been producing all kinds of media, including several documentaries and short films (four of which have screened at film festivals). The longer I remain a creator, the more I come to appreciate the power of a story well-told." The words 'redemption and forgiveness' in his story are a link to tell a story that leads the reader to a place of decision for Christ. http://stembridgemill.com/#start
Wanderlust Productions was founded by Darren Wilson in 2006 when he began work on what would become his first feature length film, “Finger of God”. The company currently concentrates on creating feature films that are both creatively exciting and spiritually engaging. Darren says, "As an artist, I have always been more interested in questions than in answers. Answers never inspired me, nor did they move me. Questions denote a sense of mystery; that something out there needs to be discovered–whether it’s inside of me or some revelation from God–a question leaves room for Him to provide an answer, and answers from God, I have found, are a tad more profound than those from men. So I guess you could say I have Wanderlust of the spirit. I reside firmly in my Father’s arms, but my Spirit is restless. I am discontent with religion as an institution. I am much more interested in the power and the grandeur and the mystery of God than I am in what he does or does not allow me to do. And I have absolutely no interest in focusing on the faults of others. I’ve got my own issues to worry about. There is good and there is evil. Light and darkness. Grace and shame. Holy and obscene. And the two are constantly at war in our hearts, vying for supremacy. And I think if we actually allowed ourselves to admit it, that we all have a kind of spiritual wanderlust. It has either been crushed, or betrayed, or stopped up, or flattened, or is held back by fear, but it’s there; a general sliver of discontent in our spirit, urging us that there must be, there has to be more. It is a sliver put there by the Spirit." https://www.wpfilm.com/
Lastly, Christian Film News is a nonprofit ministry of Films for Christ, founded in 1959. Films for Christ is produces and distributes film. It is an independent, non-denominational Christian ministry, a 501(3)(c) organization that lists Christian film/video/production companies. More information can be obtained at http://christianfilmnews.com/valuable-links/
Tribute to Pastor Steve Barr by Cathy Townsend
How greatly can one person impact society? Testimonies of the life of Pastor Steve Barr, who went to heaven at age 53, reveal the ripples of impact of this pastor of a small church in Freeport in Northern Illinois.
The son of a Christian trucker and a typical teen, Steve Barr was born again in his early twenties. He married his teen sweetheart, Linnea, who was a pastor’s daughter. After Bible school, the young couple went home to Freeport to be youth leaders at Linnea’s family church. Steve eventually became senior Pastor of East Gate Church in Freeport, IL. East Gate is a small church that fits the category of “50 and under” in average church attendance. Yet when Steve died, there were over 2,000 people that attended the wake. The largest church in town hosted the funeral attended by over 650 people who were seated in 3 buildings of their complex. The funeral was televised and recorded for those who could not attend.
How did Steve live a life that resulted in such an unprecedented funeral? Since 1993, he has ministered to people in the Northwest region of Illinois. According to the testimony of other pastors, Steve was a pastor to pastors. People who considered Steve to be their spiritual father came from Wisconsin, Kentucky, Mississippi and many other states to attend the funeral. He treated everyone with respect. The report that "he loved God, loved people and loved life" was repeated many times by speakers at the funeral.
Pastor Steve was friends with two Freeport Mayors and a State Senator. Community members said "he was the glue in the community". A recent Mayor wanted prayer at every city council meeting. Pastor Steve initiated personal prayer for this mayor and organized people to pray at the beginning of each city council session.
Steve had the willingness to take time for anyone and everyone. At the same time, he fathered his own six children well. He encouraged his children, as well as others, to be who God made them to be. He always had a smile for everyone. He played sports all of his life, and God used that to connect him to the young men of the community and to become friends with young guys in the ‘hood.'
He began the ‘Pastor on Patrol’ program, which meant pastors could be called at a moment’s notice into a crisis situation in the city. The Police Chaplain said the one word that described Pastor Steve was integrity and the ability to do what is right as God says what is right. The Police Chaplain invited Steve to go to New Orleans with him in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina where they saw God open many doors for ministry. Steve also led small mission trips to Haiti and Brazil.
Pastor Barr helped start Mission Freeport, which conducted multi-church gatherings of worship and evangelization. He helped start the Freeport Regional Apostolic Council, which reached beyond Freeport to embrace pastors from Rockford, Dixon, and other communities because he believed that worshipping and praying together would build God’s Kingdom. It was a Kingdom mentality that led Pastor Steve to reach out in new ways. He was just beginning a new path of connecting the state of Illinois toward building the Kingdom of God in the 7 spheres of cultural influence.
Pastor Steve's last sermon can be seen as a prophetic template for the church’s future. He told of a recent dream he had in which he was at his old church building. He saw certain past members of the church; and in the dream, he saw Linnea weeping and hugging a lot of people. In his dream he told her, “do not weep over what has been, begin to rejoice over what is coming!” He didn’t understand why but he saw a fence being torn down. Six times he saw the fence falling. Several times he said that part of the battle was to ‘stand and worship’ all night if need be. He said "do not let go of the Promise; rejoice over what is coming! The Glory of the Lord has taken over! It is the timing of the Lord." As he considered his dream, he felt a new chapter is being written for East Gate Church and that a new level of worship had already begun to come forth. He felt like a release of a new kind of joy would begin the new chapter in the life of East Gate.
Pastor Barr was pleased that East Gate had always continued to function well while he was gone on trips. He said the church would continue on this path, but one thing more had to happen. It had to do better at forgetting the past, forgiving and forgetting, because not doing so would be the only thing that would block the church from moving quickly into the future. He was rejoicing over what he saw in his dream and what he felt was the direction for the church. His congregation believes that as others listen to the recording of his dream, his impact will continue.
How greatly can one person impact society? Testimonies of the life of Pastor Steve Barr, who went to heaven at age 53, reveal the ripples of impact of this pastor of a small church in Freeport in Northern Illinois.
The son of a Christian trucker and a typical teen, Steve Barr was born again in his early twenties. He married his teen sweetheart, Linnea, who was a pastor’s daughter. After Bible school, the young couple went home to Freeport to be youth leaders at Linnea’s family church. Steve eventually became senior Pastor of East Gate Church in Freeport, IL. East Gate is a small church that fits the category of “50 and under” in average church attendance. Yet when Steve died, there were over 2,000 people that attended the wake. The largest church in town hosted the funeral attended by over 650 people who were seated in 3 buildings of their complex. The funeral was televised and recorded for those who could not attend.
How did Steve live a life that resulted in such an unprecedented funeral? Since 1993, he has ministered to people in the Northwest region of Illinois. According to the testimony of other pastors, Steve was a pastor to pastors. People who considered Steve to be their spiritual father came from Wisconsin, Kentucky, Mississippi and many other states to attend the funeral. He treated everyone with respect. The report that "he loved God, loved people and loved life" was repeated many times by speakers at the funeral.
Pastor Steve was friends with two Freeport Mayors and a State Senator. Community members said "he was the glue in the community". A recent Mayor wanted prayer at every city council meeting. Pastor Steve initiated personal prayer for this mayor and organized people to pray at the beginning of each city council session.
Steve had the willingness to take time for anyone and everyone. At the same time, he fathered his own six children well. He encouraged his children, as well as others, to be who God made them to be. He always had a smile for everyone. He played sports all of his life, and God used that to connect him to the young men of the community and to become friends with young guys in the ‘hood.'
He began the ‘Pastor on Patrol’ program, which meant pastors could be called at a moment’s notice into a crisis situation in the city. The Police Chaplain said the one word that described Pastor Steve was integrity and the ability to do what is right as God says what is right. The Police Chaplain invited Steve to go to New Orleans with him in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina where they saw God open many doors for ministry. Steve also led small mission trips to Haiti and Brazil.
Pastor Barr helped start Mission Freeport, which conducted multi-church gatherings of worship and evangelization. He helped start the Freeport Regional Apostolic Council, which reached beyond Freeport to embrace pastors from Rockford, Dixon, and other communities because he believed that worshipping and praying together would build God’s Kingdom. It was a Kingdom mentality that led Pastor Steve to reach out in new ways. He was just beginning a new path of connecting the state of Illinois toward building the Kingdom of God in the 7 spheres of cultural influence.
Pastor Steve's last sermon can be seen as a prophetic template for the church’s future. He told of a recent dream he had in which he was at his old church building. He saw certain past members of the church; and in the dream, he saw Linnea weeping and hugging a lot of people. In his dream he told her, “do not weep over what has been, begin to rejoice over what is coming!” He didn’t understand why but he saw a fence being torn down. Six times he saw the fence falling. Several times he said that part of the battle was to ‘stand and worship’ all night if need be. He said "do not let go of the Promise; rejoice over what is coming! The Glory of the Lord has taken over! It is the timing of the Lord." As he considered his dream, he felt a new chapter is being written for East Gate Church and that a new level of worship had already begun to come forth. He felt like a release of a new kind of joy would begin the new chapter in the life of East Gate.
Pastor Barr was pleased that East Gate had always continued to function well while he was gone on trips. He said the church would continue on this path, but one thing more had to happen. It had to do better at forgetting the past, forgiving and forgetting, because not doing so would be the only thing that would block the church from moving quickly into the future. He was rejoicing over what he saw in his dream and what he felt was the direction for the church. His congregation believes that as others listen to the recording of his dream, his impact will continue.
Christian Charities in Illinois by Joyce Geiler
Depending on your background and where you live in Illinois, you may have heard of Lutheran Child and Family Services, or the Baptist Children's Home, or perhaps there is a Catholic hospital in your town. The Body of Christ knows inherently that it is to minister more than the gospel to people. ".....what does the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8) In Acts 6, deacons were chosen to see that widows who were too old to marry were ministered to. James notes that "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." (James 1:27) Some groups within Christianity place more emphasis on ministering socially than others. The Salvation Army is one of these. Its mission is to "preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination."
Some of the first ministers in pre-statehood Illinois were Methodists. Methodism emphasizes social holiness, missionary zeal, charity, and service to the poor and vulnerable. These ideals are put into practice by the establishment of hospitals, universities, orphanages, soup kitchens and schools. Last week's article on Christian Colleges noted that the earliest colleges in Illinois were Methodist. There are at least three Methodist hospitals in Illinois. Other Christian hospitals in Illinois include four Adventist hospitals and 39 Catholic Hospitals.
An endeavor as large and complex as a hospital or university requires considerable financial support. It is understandable, then, that associations or conventions of Christian groups have been more effective at establishing and maintaining these charities. With each church in the convention contributing a portion of their received offerings, a hospital or school can succeed.
The Church of Christ denomination has several organizations in Illinois serving the family. Christian Family Services, Inc., was established in 1973 by the Churches of Christ in the St. Louis Area. Their interest was to serve children in need of temporary care outside their own homes. They are supported by local Christians and churches. In other parts of Illinois, the Churches of Christ support Christian Child and Family Services.
Illinois is home to a number of other family agencies. The Evangelical Child and Family Agency, the Friendship House of Christian Services in Peoria, and Lutheran Child and Family Services are examples. Illini Christian Ministries, Inc., which has been a not-for profit child welfare agency since 1967; Elim Christian Services, run by the Christian Reformed Church in North America since 1952 serving children with disabilities; and three locations of Bethany Christian Services are other examples. Beginning in 1918, Baptist Children's Home and Family Services established a location for residential care. It also has three locations for counseling, and a location for pregnancy, adoption and foster care. While many of these organizations are supported by national church organizations, some have qualified themselves to receive state funds.
Many communities have organizations composed of local churches that run food pantries or soup kitchens. Local stores often contribute to these local food pantries. They may also receive food from one of the eight food banks serving all 102 counties in Illinois as part of the state association 'Feeding Illinois.' In 2011, the Feeding Illinois Food Bank Network distributed 120 million pounds of food through a network of 2000 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. http://www.illinoisfoodbanks.org/
Individual churches can have an impact on the needs of their community even without major funding or government assistance. Many towns and cities have a Ministerial Alliance in which the churches join together to provide services. In the Southern Illinois town of Collinsville, with a population of about 26,000, twelve to 15 of their churches have formed an alliance. Faith in Action volunteers recruited from local congregations serve older adults and disabled adults by offering transportation for medical and other needs, shopping, companionship, respite for family, seasonal yard maintenance, and minor home repair to neighbors. They also have an Answers on Aging manned phone line and the Elder Connection, a program focusing on social events to ease loneliness and isolation to those served. The community's United Church of Christ donates office space and volunteer funding keeps Faith in Action active.
The Ministerial Alliance also offers a food pantry as well as a soup kitchen serviced by community area churches taking turns cooking meals then delivering the food to a central location once weekly. Limited back-to-school supplies are provided as well as tote bags of food for children identified as lacking food on weekends and in the summer when they cannot access school lunch programs. Christmas food baskets and toys, are also made available to those in need. Certain churches run clothing centers and provide volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels. The Ministerial Alliance provides limited financial assistance to prevent utility shut off and maintains reference lists for resources that they are not able to provide for.
When it comes to ministering to those in need, the ekklesia pulls together to minister in Jesus' name. .
Depending on your background and where you live in Illinois, you may have heard of Lutheran Child and Family Services, or the Baptist Children's Home, or perhaps there is a Catholic hospital in your town. The Body of Christ knows inherently that it is to minister more than the gospel to people. ".....what does the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Micah 6:8) In Acts 6, deacons were chosen to see that widows who were too old to marry were ministered to. James notes that "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction." (James 1:27) Some groups within Christianity place more emphasis on ministering socially than others. The Salvation Army is one of these. Its mission is to "preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination."
Some of the first ministers in pre-statehood Illinois were Methodists. Methodism emphasizes social holiness, missionary zeal, charity, and service to the poor and vulnerable. These ideals are put into practice by the establishment of hospitals, universities, orphanages, soup kitchens and schools. Last week's article on Christian Colleges noted that the earliest colleges in Illinois were Methodist. There are at least three Methodist hospitals in Illinois. Other Christian hospitals in Illinois include four Adventist hospitals and 39 Catholic Hospitals.
An endeavor as large and complex as a hospital or university requires considerable financial support. It is understandable, then, that associations or conventions of Christian groups have been more effective at establishing and maintaining these charities. With each church in the convention contributing a portion of their received offerings, a hospital or school can succeed.
The Church of Christ denomination has several organizations in Illinois serving the family. Christian Family Services, Inc., was established in 1973 by the Churches of Christ in the St. Louis Area. Their interest was to serve children in need of temporary care outside their own homes. They are supported by local Christians and churches. In other parts of Illinois, the Churches of Christ support Christian Child and Family Services.
Illinois is home to a number of other family agencies. The Evangelical Child and Family Agency, the Friendship House of Christian Services in Peoria, and Lutheran Child and Family Services are examples. Illini Christian Ministries, Inc., which has been a not-for profit child welfare agency since 1967; Elim Christian Services, run by the Christian Reformed Church in North America since 1952 serving children with disabilities; and three locations of Bethany Christian Services are other examples. Beginning in 1918, Baptist Children's Home and Family Services established a location for residential care. It also has three locations for counseling, and a location for pregnancy, adoption and foster care. While many of these organizations are supported by national church organizations, some have qualified themselves to receive state funds.
Many communities have organizations composed of local churches that run food pantries or soup kitchens. Local stores often contribute to these local food pantries. They may also receive food from one of the eight food banks serving all 102 counties in Illinois as part of the state association 'Feeding Illinois.' In 2011, the Feeding Illinois Food Bank Network distributed 120 million pounds of food through a network of 2000 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. http://www.illinoisfoodbanks.org/
Individual churches can have an impact on the needs of their community even without major funding or government assistance. Many towns and cities have a Ministerial Alliance in which the churches join together to provide services. In the Southern Illinois town of Collinsville, with a population of about 26,000, twelve to 15 of their churches have formed an alliance. Faith in Action volunteers recruited from local congregations serve older adults and disabled adults by offering transportation for medical and other needs, shopping, companionship, respite for family, seasonal yard maintenance, and minor home repair to neighbors. They also have an Answers on Aging manned phone line and the Elder Connection, a program focusing on social events to ease loneliness and isolation to those served. The community's United Church of Christ donates office space and volunteer funding keeps Faith in Action active.
The Ministerial Alliance also offers a food pantry as well as a soup kitchen serviced by community area churches taking turns cooking meals then delivering the food to a central location once weekly. Limited back-to-school supplies are provided as well as tote bags of food for children identified as lacking food on weekends and in the summer when they cannot access school lunch programs. Christmas food baskets and toys, are also made available to those in need. Certain churches run clothing centers and provide volunteers to deliver Meals on Wheels. The Ministerial Alliance provides limited financial assistance to prevent utility shut off and maintains reference lists for resources that they are not able to provide for.
When it comes to ministering to those in need, the ekklesia pulls together to minister in Jesus' name. .
Christian Colleges in Illinois by Joyce Geiler
The earliest colleges in Illinois were Christian colleges. John Mason Peck, a Baptist missionary, founded Rock Springs Seminary in Madison County in 1827, the first college in the state. It was later renamed Shurtleff College and eventually became part of Southern Illinois University. McKendree University, formerly known as McKendree College, in St. Clair County was founded in 1828 as the Lebanon Seminary and is the oldest continually operating college in Illinois and remains the oldest in the nation with continuous ties to the United Methodist Church. The oldest public university in Illinois, Illinois State University in Normal, was not founded until 1857.
Wheaton College, established in 1860 in Wheaton, Illinois identifies their mission as “serving Jesus Christ and advancing His Kingdom through excellence in liberal arts and graduate programs that educate the whole person to build the church and benefit society worldwide.” Wheaton was ranked #1 by Forbes in Illinois Christian colleges and # 59 nationally in 2010-2011.
Like the earlier colleges, the Moody Bible Institute was founded for training in Christian work. In early 1886, D.L. Moody established the school as the Chicago Evangelization Society for the “education and training of Christian workers, including teachers, ministers, missionaries, and musicians who may completely and effectively proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ”. After Moody’s death, the school was renamed the Moody Bible Institute.
According to christiancolleges.com, the state of Illinois is on the leading edge of Christian education, as well as at the forefront of offering the very latest in online programs. This site lists 49 Christian colleges in Illinois. However, when researching each college listed, some colleges cited had no Christian affiliation mentioned nor was there anything in their mission statements about Christianity.
Several colleges listed have a definite Christian heritage which is expressed yet today on their websites; for example, Elmhurst College was founded by the German Evangelical Synod of North America and North Park University of Chicago was founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church (Swedish). Five of the listed colleges are Methodist; Methodists were some of the first non-Catholics to begin ministering in Illinois before it was even a state. Three Presbyterian and three Lutheran Colleges are listed, as well as one Baptist. Catholicism is the largest denomination in Illinois and the directory of Illinois Catholic Colleges lists eight Catholic colleges in Illinois as of 2014. All are located in northern Illinois.
Of the colleges listed, some are seminaries preparing students for ministry, which is usually indicated in the name of the college. Others Christian colleges seem to be educational institutions with Christianity somewhere in the background. Catholic colleges generally promote their faith on the opening web page but Judson University, a non-seminary Baptist university, was the only non-Catholic college that actually promotes its faith on the first page of their website.
In researching for this article it was found that the beginnings of education in Illinois were established by either churches or groups of Christians who saw the need for education and responded from a Christian perspective. The ekklesia must continue to influence the educational mountain in order to send qualified laborers with a biblical world view into every cultural mountain today.
The earliest colleges in Illinois were Christian colleges. John Mason Peck, a Baptist missionary, founded Rock Springs Seminary in Madison County in 1827, the first college in the state. It was later renamed Shurtleff College and eventually became part of Southern Illinois University. McKendree University, formerly known as McKendree College, in St. Clair County was founded in 1828 as the Lebanon Seminary and is the oldest continually operating college in Illinois and remains the oldest in the nation with continuous ties to the United Methodist Church. The oldest public university in Illinois, Illinois State University in Normal, was not founded until 1857.
Wheaton College, established in 1860 in Wheaton, Illinois identifies their mission as “serving Jesus Christ and advancing His Kingdom through excellence in liberal arts and graduate programs that educate the whole person to build the church and benefit society worldwide.” Wheaton was ranked #1 by Forbes in Illinois Christian colleges and # 59 nationally in 2010-2011.
Like the earlier colleges, the Moody Bible Institute was founded for training in Christian work. In early 1886, D.L. Moody established the school as the Chicago Evangelization Society for the “education and training of Christian workers, including teachers, ministers, missionaries, and musicians who may completely and effectively proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ”. After Moody’s death, the school was renamed the Moody Bible Institute.
According to christiancolleges.com, the state of Illinois is on the leading edge of Christian education, as well as at the forefront of offering the very latest in online programs. This site lists 49 Christian colleges in Illinois. However, when researching each college listed, some colleges cited had no Christian affiliation mentioned nor was there anything in their mission statements about Christianity.
Several colleges listed have a definite Christian heritage which is expressed yet today on their websites; for example, Elmhurst College was founded by the German Evangelical Synod of North America and North Park University of Chicago was founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church (Swedish). Five of the listed colleges are Methodist; Methodists were some of the first non-Catholics to begin ministering in Illinois before it was even a state. Three Presbyterian and three Lutheran Colleges are listed, as well as one Baptist. Catholicism is the largest denomination in Illinois and the directory of Illinois Catholic Colleges lists eight Catholic colleges in Illinois as of 2014. All are located in northern Illinois.
Of the colleges listed, some are seminaries preparing students for ministry, which is usually indicated in the name of the college. Others Christian colleges seem to be educational institutions with Christianity somewhere in the background. Catholic colleges generally promote their faith on the opening web page but Judson University, a non-seminary Baptist university, was the only non-Catholic college that actually promotes its faith on the first page of their website.
In researching for this article it was found that the beginnings of education in Illinois were established by either churches or groups of Christians who saw the need for education and responded from a Christian perspective. The ekklesia must continue to influence the educational mountain in order to send qualified laborers with a biblical world view into every cultural mountain today.
Illinois Prayer Under the Direction of Stan and Delbra Pratt by Joyce Geiler
Two outstanding Illinois residents, Stan and Delbra Pratt, pastors of Way of Life Church in Taylorville, are involved in many community and state organizations and activities promoting the Kingdom of God. Most of these activities involve prayer.
They are state coordinators for the Illinois National Day of Prayer (NDP) held the first Thursday of May each year and work under the leadership of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. The NDP Task Force exists to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, to create appropriate materials, and to mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America’s leaders and its families. The Task Force represents a Judeo Christian expression of the national observance, based on the understanding that this country was birthed in prayer and in reverence for the God of the Bible.
Stan and Delbra usually lead the prayer conference call for the National Governor's Prayer Team on the first Tuesday of the month at 11 am EST 805 399-1000, access code 495241#. The Governor's Prayer Team is a nonpartisan, nondenominational all volunteer organization that respects the burden of responsibility on those in leadership. Citizen's carry out their civic responsibility to uphold these leaders in prayer as Gods instructs in 1Timothy 2:1-6, 8 NIV.
The Pratts also lead a Tuesday morning prayer call at 6:45 AM to 7:00 AM to pray specifically for Illinois and our elected officials. The call began August 5th, 2014, when Governor Quinn was running for reelection with Bruce Rauner as his opponent. Knowing that one of these men would govern Illinois in the coming four years, the need was evident to begin to ask God to make Himself known to both Governor Quinn and now Governor Bruce Rauner in such a way that each would fall on his knees with a holy fear, repenting and turning from any sin in their own life. Once the election was decided and Governor Bruce Rauner was elected, the Pratts and those on the call decided to continue the prayer call. The call in number is 712/432-1500 with an access code 258970# and they invite anyone who has a heart for Illinois to join with them.
Stan and Delbra believe they have a commission from the Lord to work along side every other ministry which is lifting up Christ and sharing the good news of the gospel. They want to help communicate to the body of Christ as much information as possible regarding upcoming prayer events and opportunities for ministry across the State. In that regard, they send out email alerts to a network of about 400 prayer warriors, many of whom are also NDP coordinators. In addition, Delbra uses her Facebook page to alert followers of Christian events they may not have otherwise known about.
In September, Mrs. Pratt posted about the Pray for America Bus Rally Tour. On September 9, 2015, the National Day of Prayer Task Force and its many ministry partners (including Ratio Christi, RESET, Cru, YWAM, and Campus Renewal Ministries) began a 56-day trek around the country to mobilize prayer at more than 50 campuses to raise up intercession for educators, students, curriculum developers, universities, schools and more. The tour is under the umbrella of Awakening America Alliance (AAA), which exists in order to provide a broad umbrella under which the body of Christ in America can unite together in seeking a contemporary spiritual awakening.
The Cry Out America (COA) portion of AAA was initially promoted as a 9/11 noon-time prayer meeting at every county courthouse in America. People began Crying Out in repentance and asking God for mercy at the place of justice. Since 2007, COA has mobilized hundreds of thousands at 9/11 prayer gatherings in all 50 states, including 38 U.S. counties with one-million or more population. They have witnessed people join hands and hearts across major denominational lines—Mainline Evangelicals, Protestants, Catholics, and traditional Pentecostals—all coming together under the banner of Christ.
Pastor Arthur Guice of Chicago is the Illinois State Coordinator for COA. This was the first year he did an event in the Capitol as well as his annual event in Chicago at Daley Plaza. Delbra reports that Pastor Guice has already decided to again coordinate these two events on 9/11 in 2016. The monthly prayer focus promoted by the National Prayer Accord of AAA can be found at http://awakeningamerica.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/National-Prayer-Accord-Calendar-Indicators3.pdf.
February 5th, 2015 was a historic day in Illinois as a bipartisan group of over 30 legislators established the Illinois Legislative Prayer Caucus. Legislators were joined by passionate citizens in the Rotunda of the State Capitol as they added Illinois as the fifteenth state to the growing network of like-minded government leaders. The event was hosted by the members of the Illinois Legislative Prayer Caucus and emceed by its Chairman, Senator Sam McCann. At all Call To Prayer events, legislators and citizens seal their commitment by signing the Call to Prayer Proclamation for their state. In doing
so, they are publicly declaring their commitment to pray and take action to protect the nation’s Judeo-Christian heritage and religious liberties. The goal of the parent organization, the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation, is to have a formed, fully operational and effective legislative prayer caucus in every state. The Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation represents a tangible and powerful mobilization effort to keep God as the lifeblood of our nation. Delbra Pratt serves as the State Director for the Illinois Prayer Caucus Network. https://cpcfoundation.wordpress.com/
Stan and Delbra are also affiliated with Generals International, Heartland Apostolic Prayer Network, and the In God We Trust - Put It Up campaign. Together with all who have received the same mandate, they believe an essential part of their Kingdom assignment is to unite the body of Christ within the State of Illinois and to see the various streams of living water flow AS ONE within the borders of our state. Kingdom Congress of Illinois honors these two leaders for their compassionate hearts and tireless efforts to see Christ’s Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. .
Two outstanding Illinois residents, Stan and Delbra Pratt, pastors of Way of Life Church in Taylorville, are involved in many community and state organizations and activities promoting the Kingdom of God. Most of these activities involve prayer.
They are state coordinators for the Illinois National Day of Prayer (NDP) held the first Thursday of May each year and work under the leadership of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. The NDP Task Force exists to communicate with every individual the need for personal repentance and prayer, to create appropriate materials, and to mobilize the Christian community to intercede for America’s leaders and its families. The Task Force represents a Judeo Christian expression of the national observance, based on the understanding that this country was birthed in prayer and in reverence for the God of the Bible.
Stan and Delbra usually lead the prayer conference call for the National Governor's Prayer Team on the first Tuesday of the month at 11 am EST 805 399-1000, access code 495241#. The Governor's Prayer Team is a nonpartisan, nondenominational all volunteer organization that respects the burden of responsibility on those in leadership. Citizen's carry out their civic responsibility to uphold these leaders in prayer as Gods instructs in 1Timothy 2:1-6, 8 NIV.
The Pratts also lead a Tuesday morning prayer call at 6:45 AM to 7:00 AM to pray specifically for Illinois and our elected officials. The call began August 5th, 2014, when Governor Quinn was running for reelection with Bruce Rauner as his opponent. Knowing that one of these men would govern Illinois in the coming four years, the need was evident to begin to ask God to make Himself known to both Governor Quinn and now Governor Bruce Rauner in such a way that each would fall on his knees with a holy fear, repenting and turning from any sin in their own life. Once the election was decided and Governor Bruce Rauner was elected, the Pratts and those on the call decided to continue the prayer call. The call in number is 712/432-1500 with an access code 258970# and they invite anyone who has a heart for Illinois to join with them.
Stan and Delbra believe they have a commission from the Lord to work along side every other ministry which is lifting up Christ and sharing the good news of the gospel. They want to help communicate to the body of Christ as much information as possible regarding upcoming prayer events and opportunities for ministry across the State. In that regard, they send out email alerts to a network of about 400 prayer warriors, many of whom are also NDP coordinators. In addition, Delbra uses her Facebook page to alert followers of Christian events they may not have otherwise known about.
In September, Mrs. Pratt posted about the Pray for America Bus Rally Tour. On September 9, 2015, the National Day of Prayer Task Force and its many ministry partners (including Ratio Christi, RESET, Cru, YWAM, and Campus Renewal Ministries) began a 56-day trek around the country to mobilize prayer at more than 50 campuses to raise up intercession for educators, students, curriculum developers, universities, schools and more. The tour is under the umbrella of Awakening America Alliance (AAA), which exists in order to provide a broad umbrella under which the body of Christ in America can unite together in seeking a contemporary spiritual awakening.
The Cry Out America (COA) portion of AAA was initially promoted as a 9/11 noon-time prayer meeting at every county courthouse in America. People began Crying Out in repentance and asking God for mercy at the place of justice. Since 2007, COA has mobilized hundreds of thousands at 9/11 prayer gatherings in all 50 states, including 38 U.S. counties with one-million or more population. They have witnessed people join hands and hearts across major denominational lines—Mainline Evangelicals, Protestants, Catholics, and traditional Pentecostals—all coming together under the banner of Christ.
Pastor Arthur Guice of Chicago is the Illinois State Coordinator for COA. This was the first year he did an event in the Capitol as well as his annual event in Chicago at Daley Plaza. Delbra reports that Pastor Guice has already decided to again coordinate these two events on 9/11 in 2016. The monthly prayer focus promoted by the National Prayer Accord of AAA can be found at http://awakeningamerica.us/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/National-Prayer-Accord-Calendar-Indicators3.pdf.
February 5th, 2015 was a historic day in Illinois as a bipartisan group of over 30 legislators established the Illinois Legislative Prayer Caucus. Legislators were joined by passionate citizens in the Rotunda of the State Capitol as they added Illinois as the fifteenth state to the growing network of like-minded government leaders. The event was hosted by the members of the Illinois Legislative Prayer Caucus and emceed by its Chairman, Senator Sam McCann. At all Call To Prayer events, legislators and citizens seal their commitment by signing the Call to Prayer Proclamation for their state. In doing
so, they are publicly declaring their commitment to pray and take action to protect the nation’s Judeo-Christian heritage and religious liberties. The goal of the parent organization, the Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation, is to have a formed, fully operational and effective legislative prayer caucus in every state. The Congressional Prayer Caucus Foundation represents a tangible and powerful mobilization effort to keep God as the lifeblood of our nation. Delbra Pratt serves as the State Director for the Illinois Prayer Caucus Network. https://cpcfoundation.wordpress.com/
Stan and Delbra are also affiliated with Generals International, Heartland Apostolic Prayer Network, and the In God We Trust - Put It Up campaign. Together with all who have received the same mandate, they believe an essential part of their Kingdom assignment is to unite the body of Christ within the State of Illinois and to see the various streams of living water flow AS ONE within the borders of our state. Kingdom Congress of Illinois honors these two leaders for their compassionate hearts and tireless efforts to see Christ’s Kingdom come on earth as it is in heaven. .
Americans for Prosperity by Joyce Geiler
The ekklesia is charged with making a difference in all of the seven cultural mountains. One group making a difference, particularly in the business mountain, is Americans For Prosperity (AFP.) The mission of AFP is "to mobilize citizens to advocate for policies that cut red tape and increase opportunity, put the brakes on government overspending, and get the economy working for hard workers– not special interests."
Americans For Prosperity was founded in 2004 and received initial funding from businessmen and philanthropist brothers David H. Koch and Charles Koch of Koch Industries, the second largest privately held company in the U.S. AFP has become one of the most influential American conservative political advocacy organizations. AFP, an educational social welfare organization, and the associated Americans For Prosperity Foundation, a public charity, are tax-exempt nonprofits, and therefore not legally required to disclose their donors, in contrast with political action committees. Some supporters, including State Farm Insurance, 1-800 Contacts, Johnson & Johnson, and Shaw Industries, have acknowledged their contributions,
Americans For Prosperity has a long resume' of activities. It helped form the Tea Party movement into a political force. It advocates for a reduction in public sector union benefits and pensions and has opposed raising the minimum wage. It supports oil and gas development, opposes regulation, including environmental restrictions, and helped defeat proposed U.S. legislation embracing cap and trade. AFP describes itself as the nation’s largest grassroots champion for health care freedom, strongly opposing Obamacare. It advocates for limited government stating that Government overspending is the greatest threat to economic prosperity. It initiates get-out-to vote activities.
Tim Phillips is president of the national organization, which has members in all 50 states and chapters in 35 states, including Illinois. David From is the Illinois State Director. David, married with seven children, has more than 15 years experience organizing grassroots activists, building legislative coalitions and driving issue advocacy campaigns in Illinois. The Illinois office in Naperville can be contacted to provide speakers for events.
The website of the Illinois chapter highlights current business legislative issues of concern.
The May 13 posting highlighted Governor Rauner's proposed property tax freeze and asked citizens to contact their state legislators to support the measure saying property tax bills continue to rise and Illinois just can’t afford it anymore. Illinoisans pay more in property taxes than they do in income taxes.
The August 4 posting noted that “The last thing Illinoisans need is higher energy prices. The President’s proposed mandates are just the latest effort to expand Washington’s reach, and Illinois can’t afford it. Our organization will fight against implementing these rules and we urge Governor Rauner to keep these Washington mandates out of Illinois. Families and businesses will be hurt with higher energy costs if the EPA is allowed to implement these rules here in Illinois.” (See last week's Kingdom Congress article on Clean Power in Illinois.)
The October 1 posting includes a letter on behalf of more than 2.8 million Americans For Prosperity activists in all 50 states to Illinois Legislators requesting they oppose any discharge petition to extend the Export Import Bank. Recently a former Export Import Bank employee pleaded guilty to five bribery charges. According to the Export Import Bank's Office of Inspector General, there are currently 31 open cases of fraud and even more indictments may be on the way. These criminal cases have put tens of millions of taxpayer dollars at risk over the past decade. Congress should protect taxpayers from this corrupt government agency.
Participants in Kingdom Congress have received an invitation from David From to join AFP in Collinsville on October 24 for free "Citizen Watchdog Training". Two men in Illinois have made a big difference using publicly-available information and the state's Open Meetings and Freedom of Information laws to expose waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption in Illinois. The training offered will equip you to know where to look, what to look for, and what questions to ask. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/afpf-il-citizen-watchdog-training-tickets-
More information about the Illinois chapter of AFP can be attained by visiting their website: http://americansforprosperity.org/illinois
The ekklesia is charged with making a difference in all of the seven cultural mountains. One group making a difference, particularly in the business mountain, is Americans For Prosperity (AFP.) The mission of AFP is "to mobilize citizens to advocate for policies that cut red tape and increase opportunity, put the brakes on government overspending, and get the economy working for hard workers– not special interests."
Americans For Prosperity was founded in 2004 and received initial funding from businessmen and philanthropist brothers David H. Koch and Charles Koch of Koch Industries, the second largest privately held company in the U.S. AFP has become one of the most influential American conservative political advocacy organizations. AFP, an educational social welfare organization, and the associated Americans For Prosperity Foundation, a public charity, are tax-exempt nonprofits, and therefore not legally required to disclose their donors, in contrast with political action committees. Some supporters, including State Farm Insurance, 1-800 Contacts, Johnson & Johnson, and Shaw Industries, have acknowledged their contributions,
Americans For Prosperity has a long resume' of activities. It helped form the Tea Party movement into a political force. It advocates for a reduction in public sector union benefits and pensions and has opposed raising the minimum wage. It supports oil and gas development, opposes regulation, including environmental restrictions, and helped defeat proposed U.S. legislation embracing cap and trade. AFP describes itself as the nation’s largest grassroots champion for health care freedom, strongly opposing Obamacare. It advocates for limited government stating that Government overspending is the greatest threat to economic prosperity. It initiates get-out-to vote activities.
Tim Phillips is president of the national organization, which has members in all 50 states and chapters in 35 states, including Illinois. David From is the Illinois State Director. David, married with seven children, has more than 15 years experience organizing grassroots activists, building legislative coalitions and driving issue advocacy campaigns in Illinois. The Illinois office in Naperville can be contacted to provide speakers for events.
The website of the Illinois chapter highlights current business legislative issues of concern.
The May 13 posting highlighted Governor Rauner's proposed property tax freeze and asked citizens to contact their state legislators to support the measure saying property tax bills continue to rise and Illinois just can’t afford it anymore. Illinoisans pay more in property taxes than they do in income taxes.
The August 4 posting noted that “The last thing Illinoisans need is higher energy prices. The President’s proposed mandates are just the latest effort to expand Washington’s reach, and Illinois can’t afford it. Our organization will fight against implementing these rules and we urge Governor Rauner to keep these Washington mandates out of Illinois. Families and businesses will be hurt with higher energy costs if the EPA is allowed to implement these rules here in Illinois.” (See last week's Kingdom Congress article on Clean Power in Illinois.)
The October 1 posting includes a letter on behalf of more than 2.8 million Americans For Prosperity activists in all 50 states to Illinois Legislators requesting they oppose any discharge petition to extend the Export Import Bank. Recently a former Export Import Bank employee pleaded guilty to five bribery charges. According to the Export Import Bank's Office of Inspector General, there are currently 31 open cases of fraud and even more indictments may be on the way. These criminal cases have put tens of millions of taxpayer dollars at risk over the past decade. Congress should protect taxpayers from this corrupt government agency.
Participants in Kingdom Congress have received an invitation from David From to join AFP in Collinsville on October 24 for free "Citizen Watchdog Training". Two men in Illinois have made a big difference using publicly-available information and the state's Open Meetings and Freedom of Information laws to expose waste, fraud, abuse, and corruption in Illinois. The training offered will equip you to know where to look, what to look for, and what questions to ask. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/afpf-il-citizen-watchdog-training-tickets-
More information about the Illinois chapter of AFP can be attained by visiting their website: http://americansforprosperity.org/illinois
IFI: Supporting Illinois Families by Joyce Geiler
The Illinois Family Institute (IFI) works within the state of Illinois to promote and defend biblical truths and foster an environment where families can thrive and reach their full God-given potential to serve and glorify Him. By upholding and re-affirming marriage, family, life and liberty in Illinois they help Illinois citizens make the most of the opportunities afforded to each of them by His gift of life and liberty.
The Illinois Family Institute was founded by former Illinois State Representative Penny Pullen as a nonprofit corporation in March 1990. Originally housed in Tinley Park, it is now located in Carol Stream, Illinois. The executive director since 2006 is David E. Smith who has an active history of advocating for decency in community values. He has been married for 20 years and is father of 7 children.
In 2006, Illinois Family Institute organized a drive to collect 345,199 signatures on petitions for "Protect Marriage Illinois", the proposed referendum to amend the Illinois constitution to declare that "marriage between a man and a woman is the only legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State." Unfortunately, state and county employees discredited almost 70 percent of the names from the Cook County jurisdiction, bringing the final count to less than the required number needed. In 2012, IFI called for parents to remove their children from classrooms led by teachers who support LGBT related instruction. In their document, “Challenge Teachers, Not Books,” IFI encouraged parents to object to teachers rather than texts, offering suggestions for parents who are fed up with activist teachers of a liberal bent promoting their views in the classroom.
IFI has a number of writers. Laurie Higgins, who joined IFI in 2008 as cultural analyst, does not mince words as she confidently and precisely writes on the issues concerning families. IFI supports the sanctity of life, biblically-defined families and marriage, the biblical role of parents in educating their children, and religious liberty. Illinois Family Institute opposes abortion, separation of church and state, activist judges, and the marriage penalty. They further oppose the recognition of civil unions, same-sex marriage and all laws recognizing or protecting non-heterosexual relationships or activity. They oppose the expansion of gambling in Illinois and drug legalization. IFI opposes efforts to include 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity' as categories for preferential status under civil rights statutes at the federal, state and local levels. These stances for righteousness prompted the Southern Poverty Law Center to designate IFI an anti-gay "hate group" in 2009.
Current events supported by IFI include a speaking engagement September 29 through October 1 by Pastor Dan Fisher of the Black Robed Regiment. On October 25, a Pro-Life Rally and Jericho Prayer March, cosponsored with the Christian Emergency League, will be held around the Governor's Mansion in Springfield. IFI is promoting the Abstinence & Marriage Partnership Annual Banquet with John Stonestreet of the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview in Paletine, Illinois on October 29.
Illinois Family Institute does more than just disseminate information; they combine information with the tools necessary for people to effectively make their voices heard by legislators and other decision makers in Illinois. IFI provides opportunities to register to vote, releases timely Voter Guides that rate candidates on their family values and provides regular email updates on family issues for subscribers. IFI's legislative arm is the lobbying group Illinois Family Action, founded in 2010. IFI is affiliated with Liberty Counsel, the American Family Association (AFA), and Alliance Defense Fund. On the Bill Tracker link on the website one can view proposed bills in the Illinois legislature that affect the family, including the current status of the bill as well as IFI's recommendations for prayer.
One of the Institute's newer initiatives is One News Now which features national news briefs from a Christian perspective. Samaritan Ministries, a biblical non-insurance approach to healthcare is also available through the Illinois Family website. More detailed information can be found at www.illinoisfamily.org
The Illinois Family Institute (IFI) works within the state of Illinois to promote and defend biblical truths and foster an environment where families can thrive and reach their full God-given potential to serve and glorify Him. By upholding and re-affirming marriage, family, life and liberty in Illinois they help Illinois citizens make the most of the opportunities afforded to each of them by His gift of life and liberty.
The Illinois Family Institute was founded by former Illinois State Representative Penny Pullen as a nonprofit corporation in March 1990. Originally housed in Tinley Park, it is now located in Carol Stream, Illinois. The executive director since 2006 is David E. Smith who has an active history of advocating for decency in community values. He has been married for 20 years and is father of 7 children.
In 2006, Illinois Family Institute organized a drive to collect 345,199 signatures on petitions for "Protect Marriage Illinois", the proposed referendum to amend the Illinois constitution to declare that "marriage between a man and a woman is the only legal union that shall be valid or recognized in this State." Unfortunately, state and county employees discredited almost 70 percent of the names from the Cook County jurisdiction, bringing the final count to less than the required number needed. In 2012, IFI called for parents to remove their children from classrooms led by teachers who support LGBT related instruction. In their document, “Challenge Teachers, Not Books,” IFI encouraged parents to object to teachers rather than texts, offering suggestions for parents who are fed up with activist teachers of a liberal bent promoting their views in the classroom.
IFI has a number of writers. Laurie Higgins, who joined IFI in 2008 as cultural analyst, does not mince words as she confidently and precisely writes on the issues concerning families. IFI supports the sanctity of life, biblically-defined families and marriage, the biblical role of parents in educating their children, and religious liberty. Illinois Family Institute opposes abortion, separation of church and state, activist judges, and the marriage penalty. They further oppose the recognition of civil unions, same-sex marriage and all laws recognizing or protecting non-heterosexual relationships or activity. They oppose the expansion of gambling in Illinois and drug legalization. IFI opposes efforts to include 'sexual orientation' and 'gender identity' as categories for preferential status under civil rights statutes at the federal, state and local levels. These stances for righteousness prompted the Southern Poverty Law Center to designate IFI an anti-gay "hate group" in 2009.
Current events supported by IFI include a speaking engagement September 29 through October 1 by Pastor Dan Fisher of the Black Robed Regiment. On October 25, a Pro-Life Rally and Jericho Prayer March, cosponsored with the Christian Emergency League, will be held around the Governor's Mansion in Springfield. IFI is promoting the Abstinence & Marriage Partnership Annual Banquet with John Stonestreet of the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview in Paletine, Illinois on October 29.
Illinois Family Institute does more than just disseminate information; they combine information with the tools necessary for people to effectively make their voices heard by legislators and other decision makers in Illinois. IFI provides opportunities to register to vote, releases timely Voter Guides that rate candidates on their family values and provides regular email updates on family issues for subscribers. IFI's legislative arm is the lobbying group Illinois Family Action, founded in 2010. IFI is affiliated with Liberty Counsel, the American Family Association (AFA), and Alliance Defense Fund. On the Bill Tracker link on the website one can view proposed bills in the Illinois legislature that affect the family, including the current status of the bill as well as IFI's recommendations for prayer.
One of the Institute's newer initiatives is One News Now which features national news briefs from a Christian perspective. Samaritan Ministries, a biblical non-insurance approach to healthcare is also available through the Illinois Family website. More detailed information can be found at www.illinoisfamily.org
The History of John Looney by Joyce Geiler and Mary Serandos
The next series of articles will focus on the ekklesia and various aspects of what the Body of Christ is doing in Illinois.
Mary Serandos is the Illinois coordinator for the Heartland Apostolic Prayer Network (HAPN). According to their website, the organization consists of "Kingdom leaders who are working together to change the heart of America and the nations." Cindy Jacobs is the founder and leader of HAPN. Though Cindy's leadership and under the direction of Mary Serandos, Illinois HAPN teams have prayed at 102 County Seats, 931 Masonic lodges, 216 Islamic sites, and 50 abortion clinics. HAPN also sends teams to deal with situation that the Lord brings to their attention like Madonna coming to Chicago on her Rebel Tour. More information can be obtained at http://www.hapn.us/initiatives.
Cindy Jacobs released a prophetic word for Illinois on August 1, 2013. She prophesied: "Illinois is a key state to establish the course of our nation. I had a vision that your state is the rudder for the nation. Put your hand on the till in prayer. You are mighty, mighty warriors and will help steer the nation in a positive way in the generations." She was in Rockford Illinois when she stated that the "mobster spirit needed to be dealt with." She called a 21 day prayer initiative in September of 2014 to address this corruption nationwide. The team of Illinois intercessors decided that would be the right time to deal with the Rock Island, Illinois kingpin John Looney.
The following information concerning the mobster John Looney was prepared by Mary Serandos and presented at the August gathering of Kingdom Congress in Rock Island:
As a lawyer, John Looney knew court procedures and how to manipulate the law for his benefit. In the early 1900's, he began one of the biggest organized crime syndicates in the Midwest. It not only included Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa but went up and down the Mississippi River. It also covered from St. Louis to Kansas City, Wisconsin and Detroit with tentacles that spanned the country. He started his own newspaper, which he used to blackmail city and business leaders. Looney's criminal operations included rioting, bootlegging, and operating brothels, saloons and gambling parlors.
A group of Christian community leaders came together to bring a leading evangelist, Billy Sunday, to town to help "kick the devil out and clean up the town." The Argus newspaper quoted Sunday as saying, “Rock Island, that citadel of sin, is the wickedest place in the USA, bar none. The leader of that wickedness is John Patrick Looney." In September of 1919, a special pulpit was built for the evangelistic crusades at the corer of 5th Avenue and 24th Street. The crowds were estimated from 6,000 to 10,000 each time Sunday preached. His meetings continued for seven weeks.
In 1924, 2 years after the shooting death of Looney's son, Conner, Looney was turned in to police. Someone recognized him from a wanted poster offering a $2,000 reward. Looney was extradited back to Rock Island from New Mexico where he had fled for refuge to face several charges. The trial was moved to Galesburg, since he didn't think he would get a fair trial in Rock Island. On December 23, 1925, he was found guilty of murdering Bill Gable and sentenced to 14 years in Statesville Prison in Joliet. By the time he entered prison, at the age of 58, he was in poor health and suffering from a lung condition. He only served 8 years of his sentence before he was discharged early because of his failing health. His daughter, Ursula, took him to Texas to live with her. He died in 1942, at the age of 75.
FBI agents said Looney had the largest and best organized criminal business they had ever seen. He was a crime boss long before Al Capone and others made it fashionable. He devised an organized system, dividing his business into separate units. He used his newspaper as a "hammer" over his enemies. Chicago, Detroit, and New York adopted his crime techniques. Even today there is a lingering feeling in Rock Island about John Looney. He once said, "they will never forget me, like me or hate me." His words rang true, because in 2002, Paul Newman and Tom Hanks starred in a movie about John Looney's life called "Road to Perdition."
The Effectiveness of the Ekklesia
On September 10th and 17th of 2014, a team of intercessors and prayer warriors went to sites where significant events occurred in the history of John Looney. The team visited and prayed at the Justice Department, the Mayor's old house, the Court House, the Star Building, City Hall, Circa 21, Looney's mansions, the Roost and the Sherman Hotel where Conner was shot. The team repented of the mobster spirit, rebellion, broken covenants, shedding of blood, immorality - sins that bring a curse on the land. They divorced Baal, remarried the Lord, executed the Writ of Assistance, tore down the unholy altars and built an altar unto the Lord. (For more information on the nature of these types of prayers, see the HAPN web site.)
The very next day, Jeff Boyd, Rock Island County Sheriff, resigned his position, for allegedly harassing an undocumented woman. Rock Island County Board Chairman, Phil Banazk, resigned from his position on September 24th, one day before he was to be removed from office. Karen Kinny, County Clerk, came under investigation for falsifying documents. Other Board members were investigated. Rock Island County Board Executive Assistant, Sally Chapman, is also being investigated with a law suit pending against her. A professor of government at Black Hawk College said she could not remember the last time Rock Island County was under so much scrutiny. On September 27th a fire occurred at the very site Connor had been shot. The fire destroyed eight businesses along the street. Surely, God hears the prayers of His ekklesia.
The next series of articles will focus on the ekklesia and various aspects of what the Body of Christ is doing in Illinois.
Mary Serandos is the Illinois coordinator for the Heartland Apostolic Prayer Network (HAPN). According to their website, the organization consists of "Kingdom leaders who are working together to change the heart of America and the nations." Cindy Jacobs is the founder and leader of HAPN. Though Cindy's leadership and under the direction of Mary Serandos, Illinois HAPN teams have prayed at 102 County Seats, 931 Masonic lodges, 216 Islamic sites, and 50 abortion clinics. HAPN also sends teams to deal with situation that the Lord brings to their attention like Madonna coming to Chicago on her Rebel Tour. More information can be obtained at http://www.hapn.us/initiatives.
Cindy Jacobs released a prophetic word for Illinois on August 1, 2013. She prophesied: "Illinois is a key state to establish the course of our nation. I had a vision that your state is the rudder for the nation. Put your hand on the till in prayer. You are mighty, mighty warriors and will help steer the nation in a positive way in the generations." She was in Rockford Illinois when she stated that the "mobster spirit needed to be dealt with." She called a 21 day prayer initiative in September of 2014 to address this corruption nationwide. The team of Illinois intercessors decided that would be the right time to deal with the Rock Island, Illinois kingpin John Looney.
The following information concerning the mobster John Looney was prepared by Mary Serandos and presented at the August gathering of Kingdom Congress in Rock Island:
As a lawyer, John Looney knew court procedures and how to manipulate the law for his benefit. In the early 1900's, he began one of the biggest organized crime syndicates in the Midwest. It not only included Rock Island, Illinois and Davenport, Iowa but went up and down the Mississippi River. It also covered from St. Louis to Kansas City, Wisconsin and Detroit with tentacles that spanned the country. He started his own newspaper, which he used to blackmail city and business leaders. Looney's criminal operations included rioting, bootlegging, and operating brothels, saloons and gambling parlors.
A group of Christian community leaders came together to bring a leading evangelist, Billy Sunday, to town to help "kick the devil out and clean up the town." The Argus newspaper quoted Sunday as saying, “Rock Island, that citadel of sin, is the wickedest place in the USA, bar none. The leader of that wickedness is John Patrick Looney." In September of 1919, a special pulpit was built for the evangelistic crusades at the corer of 5th Avenue and 24th Street. The crowds were estimated from 6,000 to 10,000 each time Sunday preached. His meetings continued for seven weeks.
In 1924, 2 years after the shooting death of Looney's son, Conner, Looney was turned in to police. Someone recognized him from a wanted poster offering a $2,000 reward. Looney was extradited back to Rock Island from New Mexico where he had fled for refuge to face several charges. The trial was moved to Galesburg, since he didn't think he would get a fair trial in Rock Island. On December 23, 1925, he was found guilty of murdering Bill Gable and sentenced to 14 years in Statesville Prison in Joliet. By the time he entered prison, at the age of 58, he was in poor health and suffering from a lung condition. He only served 8 years of his sentence before he was discharged early because of his failing health. His daughter, Ursula, took him to Texas to live with her. He died in 1942, at the age of 75.
FBI agents said Looney had the largest and best organized criminal business they had ever seen. He was a crime boss long before Al Capone and others made it fashionable. He devised an organized system, dividing his business into separate units. He used his newspaper as a "hammer" over his enemies. Chicago, Detroit, and New York adopted his crime techniques. Even today there is a lingering feeling in Rock Island about John Looney. He once said, "they will never forget me, like me or hate me." His words rang true, because in 2002, Paul Newman and Tom Hanks starred in a movie about John Looney's life called "Road to Perdition."
The Effectiveness of the Ekklesia
On September 10th and 17th of 2014, a team of intercessors and prayer warriors went to sites where significant events occurred in the history of John Looney. The team visited and prayed at the Justice Department, the Mayor's old house, the Court House, the Star Building, City Hall, Circa 21, Looney's mansions, the Roost and the Sherman Hotel where Conner was shot. The team repented of the mobster spirit, rebellion, broken covenants, shedding of blood, immorality - sins that bring a curse on the land. They divorced Baal, remarried the Lord, executed the Writ of Assistance, tore down the unholy altars and built an altar unto the Lord. (For more information on the nature of these types of prayers, see the HAPN web site.)
The very next day, Jeff Boyd, Rock Island County Sheriff, resigned his position, for allegedly harassing an undocumented woman. Rock Island County Board Chairman, Phil Banazk, resigned from his position on September 24th, one day before he was to be removed from office. Karen Kinny, County Clerk, came under investigation for falsifying documents. Other Board members were investigated. Rock Island County Board Executive Assistant, Sally Chapman, is also being investigated with a law suit pending against her. A professor of government at Black Hawk College said she could not remember the last time Rock Island County was under so much scrutiny. On September 27th a fire occurred at the very site Connor had been shot. The fire destroyed eight businesses along the street. Surely, God hears the prayers of His ekklesia.